The auto industry of Pakistan is completely shattered as the situation further worsened with a decline of nearly 50% sales in the month of July 2019. The current circumstances of the local auto sector have matured in the wrong direction and don’t even seem to be coming back on track anytime soon. Under the prevailing policies of the government, the sales figures are expected to drop even further in the coming months which could be disastrous for the industry which is considered as the backbone of the country. The government of PTI has taken several steps in the recent past, which have turned out to be a nightmare for the auto sector itself and other associated small industries. The previous government introduced Auto Development Policy 2016-21 (ADP), offering several tax-based incentives to the new entrants in the country. It contributed immensely towards bringing huge amounts of foreign investment as several European and Korean auto giants made their way into the country by acquiring Greenfield status to assemble its cars at their respective production plants. However, it didn’t take long for the new government to change things dramatically against the existing as well as new players in the market. It imposed several high amounts of taxes and duties on the automobiles that adversely affected the sales. A majority of new entrants have introduced high-end cars to their line-up and as the prices went up for several reasons, selling them became an uphill task.

Pony.ai has competition in Daimler, which last summer obtained a permit from the Chinese government that allows it to test self-driving cars powered by Baidu’s Apollo platform on public roads in Beijing. Separately, startup Optimus Ride built out a small autonomous shuttle fleet in Brooklyn. Waymo, which has racked up more than 10 million real-world miles in over 25 cities across the U.S. and roughly 7 billion simulated miles, in November 2018 became the first company to obtain a driverless car testing permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Other rivals include GM’s Cruise Automation and Tesla, in addition to Zoox, Aptiv, May Mobility, Pronto.ai, Aurora, and Nuro.

“Given the existing volatility and uncertainty in global markets, today’s news that the administration is making progress in talks with Japan, one of our most important trading partners, is a welcome step in the right direction,” Myron Brilliant, executive vice president and head of international affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement. “However, the U.S. Chamber strongly urges the Trump Administration to continue its efforts to reach a comprehensive, high-standard agreement that addresses the full range of U.S. trade priorities from services and intellectual property protection to regulatory barriers. By securing that broader agreement, the administration will spur significant economic growth, create U.S. jobs, and open up other avenues for expanding our market access and commercial ties to the vital Asia-Pacific region.”

App-starting a vehicle may not solve many traffic issues, but the convenience makes the driving experience better. Drivers potentially can take better care of their vehicles with all of the diagnostic data available in the app. They can can transfer navigation destinations between the app and the digital dash infotainment center (which also is available via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with other compatible mapping apps). And being able to start and lock the car a bit quicker can at least shorten the commute by a few seconds. As long as people remain mindful enough to turn off their cars and aren’t using the app with their hands behind the wheel, there really aren’t many downsides to phones replacing keyfobs.

PLYMOUTH — Heidrea for Heroes has launched Incline Corps, a monthly fitness program for veterans, at Live Life Believe Fitness Center, 10 Cordage Park Circle, Plymouth. This free program features a group workout and a social hour afterward with food and drinks from 7:15 to 8 p.m. J.C. Jasa, a certified fitness trainer, MMA fighting coach and Marine Corps veteran, will lead a workout that combines strength, conditioning, plyometrics and some elements of boxing mixed in. All fitness levels are welcome, and the workout will be modified to suit individuals. Drop-ins are welcome, but advanced sign-ups are appreciated. For information: 774-773-3951; info@heidrea4heroes.org; heidrea4heroes.org.

Legendary fund manager Li Lu (who Charlie Munger backed) once said, 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility of prices, but whether you will suffer a permanent loss of capital.' So it seems the smart money knows that debt – which is usually involved in bankruptcies – is a very important factor, when you assess how risky a company is. Ultimately, if the company can't fulfill its legal obligations to repay debt, shareholders could walk away with nothing. While that is not too common, we often do see indebted companies permanently diluting shareholders because lenders force them to raise capital at a distressed price.

“We started the fertility drugs. They don’t tell you too much about the side effects of them. You turn insane. Nobody’s telling you what’s happening to yourself as a woman and what’s happening to your marriage. Nobody’s telling you that you’re going to sit on the floor and cry for hours and your husband’s going to be there to support you, but at the same time, you’re like, ‘What if I can’t give him kids?’”